?" said the doctor, as the old sailor handed
Carey the gun and stooped to pick up a piece of coral as big as a
child's head.

"On'y going to show him, cunning as he is, thinking that he's snugly hid
under water, that we can see him, and that we know what's the meaning of
two knobs on the water."

The doctor nodded and looked on, Carey feeling an intense longing to
follow the old sailor's example, but feeling that it would be some time
before he could throw a heavy stone.

Meanwhile Bostock walked slowly to the edge of the water, and then along
towards the sea, reducing the distance till he was not above
five-and-twenty yards from the floating reptile, when he stopped short
and pitched the lump of coral with pretty good aim; but as it described
an arc and was still in the air, there was a tremendous wallow, a wave
rose on the surface, and they could trace the course taken by the
monster, which, with one tremendous stroke of its powerful tail, glided
right away towards the sea.

"Wish it had made a dint in his skull," said Bostock. "Beasts! how I do
hate 'em! Dessay there's lots more, so we shall have to take care."

"How big was it, Bob?" said Carey, triumphantly.

"Oh, I wouldn't like to say, sir. I've seen a lot of 'em in my time--
Africa, Indy, and in Chinee waters, as well as off the east coast
yonder; but I should think this must be all you said. P'raps more."

Satisfied with the day's adventures, they now made for the raft, and
were soon after sailing slowly across to the stranded vessel, where that
evening Bostock was in his glory with the cook's stove sending up a
cloud of black smoke, and saucepan and frying-pan were well occupied in
the preparation of soup and fish.

"The pigeons'll have to stay till to-morrow, Master Carey," he said,
confidentially. "But I say, sir, don't say as that hyster soup aren't
good."

The lad did not. In fact he was helped twice, while the doctor sent a
thrill of pride through the old sailor as he made comparisons between it
and turtle.

"Well, no, sir," said the old fellow, modestly, "not so good as that. I
dessay, though, we shall find some turtle floating in this lagoon. If
we do we must get one, and then you shall see the difference."

"Do you think they are likely to be about these shores?"

"Sure to be, sir. We shall see one, I dessay, floating on the water,
fast asleep; and I dessay we shall find something else, Master Carey,
and if we do, look out."